Final Thought

Final Thought
Preface: This is going to be my last post as well as my thoughts of Europe and the summer. I shall leave this post up for a while, but there will be nothing new after this.

The summer is coming to a close yet I left colder weather for frickin hot weather. When I left the temperature was around high 60’s- low 70’s. When I got home the temperature was a bit higher high 90’s. But more than the weather is a change in what has become my normalcy. There are so many accommodations and such that I was so used to here in the good ol’ US of A. While I didn’t really get accustomed to not having them around it is a definite change having them again. For example, dryers, a real shower, and my bed. I know my first order of business is laundry. Not only to wash my clothes but to dig out all of the souvenirs for everyone also. I wrapped all the bottles and breakables and well basically everything up in my clothing to help protect them against the throws of airport employees, that and get it all through customs. Now being home I feel better. Just better in general.
Looking back on my trip, I really had a great summer. I mean a great summer. Sure I wrote of problems with my sister and adapting to the changes, but ‘wouldn’t life be awfully boring if the good times were all we had?’ There were many good times as well as bad times. And the bad times weren’t really all that bad. My sister and I understand each other. I see now that we are very much different people. Very different. While she lived with us, we were both just teenage girls. But now that we both have grown into ourselves and are discovering who we are, we have become very different people. It was almost as if we were from different sides of the world. I love her no less. There were stretches of boredom and anger and loneliness but then as is life. Life is full of ‘ups and downs, smiles and frowns.’ Seeing a different part of the world is definitely an eye opener. But what my eyes opened up to see was me. Yes I saw the world and how others live and the perception of Americans, but I also found out a lot about me. Ray: I most definitely deserve my injun scout badge. Traveling alone is lonely. But I’ve been able to have intimate conversations with myself. I’m learning my intricacies. I feel more grown up. They say growing up is a tough business and takes time. They are right. But they forgot to mention that growing up can bring a smile with an odd sense of accomplishment. I am by no means finished growing. I’ve only just begun really. But I do feel that my childhood is closed. That volume of my book of life has closed. I’m writing a new volume, and I’ve only just begun.
Europe is a wonderful place that all should be so lucky to see. So here’s a quick view/summery of the places I’ve been so lucky to see.
Norway: I touched a glacier. It’s hard not to see such a place and not believe in the big guy upstairs.
Sweden: It was night both times through; I was asleep for most of it.
Poland: My namesake, not my favorite. It was dirty, poor, and so very different, but it became home. There was a comfort there.
Germany: Great Beer. Berlin is one of my favorite places.
Austria: My time in Vienna was miserable (weather-wise) but I learned so very much about European history and myself.
Czech Rep: I rode through on a bus at night; I didn’t see much.
Slavakia: While it is a poor country, it is quite rural still and very picturesque.
Hungary: Rode through on a bus, saw only from the window, but was rather surprised by Budapest.
Serbia/Yugoslavia: I previously thought this was a deserted landfill wrecked by war, but it is remarkably beautiful. Again only saw it from a bus window but it was beautiful.
Bulgaria: See above.
Greece: My time in Greece I was depressed and upset, but not because of the place. The place was the only thing to balance me then. Unbelievably wonderful. And Greek men are the finest specimen of man I’ve ever laid…………eyes on. Marble.
Europe in general: Everything you think Europe would and should be and so much more. I know that is vague, but the place is just like everything else in life. It is what you make of it. Just being in the place doesn’t make things better or worse. It is a place where life happens, with or without you. A place where dreams are made and crushed………just like home.
For those who haven’t seen or talked to me before or since reading this, you should know that I am a different person. I’m still me but my demeanor is calm, content, and confidant. I am at ease with who I am and my surroundings. I have most definitely grown since this blog began, let alone this summer. And I hope all enjoyed reading my journey.

Norway

So Norway was absolutely beautiful. I cannot describe how utterly breathtaking this place is. My camera does not do it justice at all. But by golly I tried. What I do know is that it is very very difficult to see such a place with all it's beauty and not believe in the Big Guy upstairs. It was just remarkable. I saw Oslo, some Viking ships, Hollokommenen(?) Ski Jump. I hiked( more like boulder hopped) 5 km to a glacier. I hiked/climbed 11km to the bottom of the tallest free falling waterfall in Northern Europe. We took a little mini cruise throught the fjords. I've eaten fresh raw trout and hung with soccer hooligans in Bergen. And I have a hat. The sun did set...around 11:30 pm and rose about 3:30 am. It was beautiful. The whole place. WOW! I'm still at a loss for words. So that means it's time for me to go.

Thank You

Hello to everyone who reads this.
I want to say thank you to everyone I've met in Poland for welcoming me with open arms. Veronika has some great friends. Some of whom I will always remember with the fondest of memories. Thank you for everything. I wish you all nothing but the best in life. There have been some I've met this summer that I don't like too much, but I don't think those people have this site. It wasn't nessecarily their fault or mine, we're just different people, from different schools of thought.
This was an amazing summer thanks to all of you. If you've read any of this site at all you know there have been ups and downs. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. The experience I've gained here is irreplacable. This was a once in a lifetime trip that I will cherish and take with me everywhere I go from now on.
This journey is just one part of the big picture, but it helped put the big picture into focus a little bit. The world is a beautiful place. I love home and appreciate it so much more having traveled other parts of the world, and would never live any where else then the good ol' US of A. But I wouldn't be so grateful and appreciative had I not left.
Again, thank you all for everything you've done and given me this summer. Muah!!!!

I am Unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance

So close you can almost taste it

Release your innovations

Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you

Only you can let it in

No one else, no one else

Can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken

Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten

This is almost my new mantra. This was/is my freeing summer. Like I said in a previous post about my new found confidence, I am still the same me but renewed. Next time it rains, go dance. Spin like a kid until you fall down from dizziness. It's better than alcohol. What? Blasphemer!! No really. It is.

Amusement comes in all forms. But if you let the little things amuse you, find a ladybug, dance in the rain, a big bear hug, life is much more tasteful. Love life and everything it offers. There are those relationships that open you up to something new and exotic.. Those that are old, and familar.. Those that bring up lots of questions.. Those that bring you somewhere unexpected... Those that bring you far away.. And those that bring you back ... But the most exciting significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself.. And if you find someone to love the you, that you love... Well... That's just Fabulous.

I'm happy.

Doing Nothing

I'm going to preface this by saying that this is one of my last posts. I feel that in the next few days I will write one or two more and that will be it. So I hope everyone has enjoyed it.

I'm bored. The last week has been nothing but sleeping and alcohol. Every night we've had some form of alcoholic beverage. Bacardi Breezers, champagne, vodka and some kind of juice, among te plethera of bottles in the refridgerator. It actually wasn't too bad. It provided some rather humorous moments really. It has to be the best week wile I've been here. But I think that we've been sleeping in hopes that Thursday will hurry up and get here. I'm so super psyched about going to Norway. And time really flies when you take 2 naps a day. We've been sleeping a lot. I have truely become a bum. I do nothing all day. Wake up whenever I feel like getting up which is somewhere after noon. Then lie around the apartment until o 7 o'clock and then get in the bath. Then go to the restaurant 'til midnight. I don't normally go to sleep til 2 or so and then sleep for 10 hours and more naps during the day. That's a lot of sleep. But I've come to some conclusions about my life when I get back that have me excited. Details of those are forthcoming. So for now I need to say goodbye. We have guests and not paying attention to a language I don't understand is rude. Buhbye.

One Week

I have only one week left in Poland. I know!!! It went by so fast! Next Thursday Vern and I are leaving for a cruise to Norway. We're going to spend a few days in Poland on the Baltic Sea and then go to Oslo and tour fjords and much more. I can't wait. I know I wrote that in the last 2 posts but too bad. You have to read it again. Cause I'm excited. So there. Anyway, not even 24 hours after we get back from Norway do I get on a plane headed for home. I am excited. I'm gonna miss my sister of course but I'm ready to see my brother. So................ I think that's all for now. I might write again later.

Life or Something Like It

It's raining. Again! But today there is a poetry to the drops. I wanna go dance in the rain.

But first I'm going to go through an update.

First, I made a life altering decision Sunday. I truely and almost officially changed my major. I no longer will repeat the standard answer I've been using for that pesky question "What are you studying? What's your major? What do you want to be when you growup?" The standard answer was I want Linda Cohen or Stacy Dales job. Yes these jobs would be frickin awesome, but I don't see it bringing me true happiness. So what am I going to study? What's my new major? What do I want to be when I grow up? I want to be a teacher. More specifically a middle school history teacher. But aren't history teachers also coaches? Yeah in smaller schools where teachers and coaches have to do double duty. But in middle school a coach, or assistant, doesn't nessecarily have to be accredited. Yes it's nice, but remember those who can't do, teach/coach. But it's not about can or can't. If you read the previous post you know that I know I can do anything I want to. It's about stacking the odds in my favor for that thing called happiness. Thus, I have been ecstatic for the last two days. I am actually excited about starting classes mostly because switching my schedule and changing majors and all, has my new schedule jam packed with nothing but history classes. Well the 2 basic courses I lacked and history. I'm taking a Modern Europe class. How ironic huh? Seeing how I've been "studying" modern europe all summer.
Well since I made this decision I've been in a muh better mood. Vern and I have had a couple really great nights. Ray, Cole, I have pictures that will make you fall out of your seat in disbelief. It has been all laughs and story telling and That 70's Show. And some drinks. But of course.
Yesterday we went and saw her parents for a bit. We talked about my flight and upcoming trips, and the like. We were disappointed. On our upcoming trip to the Baltic Sea and Norway the dates changed. Previously we were pushing it coming back from Norway less than 24 hours from the time my flight leaves. Well the dates were pushed back one day. Meaning if we were to go then we would get back to Katowice one hour before my flight leaves from Warsaw which is 3 hours away. So the trip to Norway is off. Or so we thought. We woke up this morning and found out that the flyer that said the dates changed was typoed(sp) and that we're going to Norway again. So we leave in 9 days.
I've had to buy another suitcase just for the souvineers(sp) I'm bringing home. It's a lot of presents.

My count down is now only 9 days. I don't want to count down while I'm touring fjords in Norway besides as soon as we get back we're turning around for Warsaw to catch the plane.

Muah

I'm in love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep you read right. I'm in love. I began this grand romance a while ago and am now completely and overwhelmingly in love. Who? Who? Tell me. Tell me.

I'm in love with me. And tomatos. But that story later. I'm not becoming conceited or anything. I am growing to love me. Flaws and all. Cellulite, zits, Oprah flags, large pores, split ends, brittle nails, flab hanging over the jeans, dry, scabbed skin, and all. I haven't really been feeling healthy while over here, and what are considered my attributes at home are considered a defect here. Because of this I have been forced to remind myself that this is a good thing. That is one thing about me that I love. And then because the advertising is in a different language(as is the subliminal messages) I've not succumbed to media images. That and ads are not as bombarding as at home. I still have problems with my hair but I think that will be an ongoing battle. It's the same school of thought that if you force a smile on your face, in a few moments your mood will lighten up. I was forced to remember what I loved about myself and ended up with a love of much more.

Another factor adding to my love affair has nothing to do with my physical features. Since I have been over here "living" and taking little side trips my confidence in myself has also grown. I know those that know me are thinking she doesn't need a confidence boost. But I should say that being on my own has let me trust on everyting I've ever been taught and remember that I am a smart, independant, reliable, self starting woman. I know now that I can do anything and everything I ever want to do in life. I'm also figueing out what I want to do in life. Or rather what I don't want to do. But that's a step closer.

Now with tomatos. They eat fresh tomatos with everything. If it's not fresh tomatos, it's ketchup. I am really loving the tomato. It is a new comfort food.

I'm also more and more appeciative that I am an American. I am thankful for the freedoms I have and being treated as an equal. Yes in politics and such there is "equality" here, however there are a lot more old school thinkers than there are at home.

So my love affair continues and hopefully will not wane too much when I arrive home.
Muah